The Garda Síochána does not accept that the leaking of details about its child pornography investigation came from within its ranks, a Garda spokesman said yesterday.
Supt John Farrelly was speaking after the Irish Mirror published details of a raid at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co Cork on Tuesday.
Speaking on RTÉ's Liveline yesterday, Ballymaloe chef and television presenter Ms Darina Allen said the family was "really traumatised" by the events and was taking legal advice over the newspaper report.
Supt Farrelly said he did not accept that the tip-off about the raid could have only come from gardaí. "I don't accept that. I do not rule it out, but I don't accept it," he said.
The State-wide child pornography investigation - code-named Operation Amethyst - had been running for two months without any information leaking into the public domain, he said. The public became aware of the operation when 500 officers initiated raids on Tuesday.
The spokesman said if he received the name of the garda who allegedly told a reporter that the Ballymaloe raid was part of Operation Amethyst, he "would be more than delighted to take it up". Supt Farrelly said he was "absolutely disgusted and disappointed" at the leaking of details about the operation.
Speaking to RTÉ's Joe Duffy, Ms Allen said the family was very upset by the events. "We're so upset already and we don't want to go into any more detail, needless to say, because there's an investigation going on and we've co-operated with the police."
"But it seems so unfair to single us out, really, and particularly to print my photograph in the paper today and all the sort of implications that would seem to go with that," she said.
"I wouldn't have thought that this could have been possible, that this is actually a legal thing to do, but we're, as I say, taking legal advice on it at the moment."
Ms Allen said she and her husband Tim were "bearing up" and were supporting each other. "And we're very grateful for the support we've got from so many people," she said.
"It's a very difficult situation for all of us."
Mr Mike McNiffe, deputy editor at the Irish Mirror, said Ms Allen was not singled out by his newspaper. "It was a Garda raid and I don't know how she's upset with us," he said.
The homes and offices of almost 100 people, including one judge, were raided by gardaí on Tuesday as part of the child pornography investigation.
The Courts Service confirmed yesterday that the judge in question would not hear any cases until the investigation had ended.
A short statement issued by the Courts Service said: "The President of the Circuit Court has directed that a judge of the court not be listed for judicial assignments pending the outcome of a current investigation by An Garda Síochána."
While the judge will not be listed to hear cases, he can still do other work such as administration.
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said the large seizures of pornographic material showed the need for "a major child abuse investigation" around the people who were found guilty.
"There is clear evidence from other countries that those in possession of child pornography represent a real risk to children and that those who actively purchase such material represent a greater risk," Mr Paul Gilligan, ISPCC chief executive, said.
